Wednesday, June 20, 2007

NYC - I was starting to get the hang of it

* at work: the inches, gallons and feet; to use the tap marked 'H' in the bathroom (piping hot water gushes out of the 'C' tap)

* the accent and inflections: the questioning lilt as one speaks - almost checking if the other is following; the open a's, the rolled r's (still catch myself now, back in SA!)

* the commute to work: cycling through Park Slope and Boerum place, along leafy Clinton rd. Dodging commuters at crossings, the taxi cabs, the potholes and double-parked delivery vans...

* how to get a good coffee at half the price ('a double expresso with a little milk please')

* the subway - which trains run express; settling on the F local to go home; a sort of 6th sense which kicks in when one has arrived at the desired station....and the last minute dash to the door to get out.... excuse me! excuse me!; and that one needs to swipe your metro card at speed (otherwise it doesn't work)

* that Houghston is 'howsten' not 'hewsten'

* that Manhattan is pretty flat but there's a proper little hill between Nicolas avenue and Riverside around 145th street (and of course Fort Tyrone park). Try it on a bike without gears - it's fun to balance /stand on the pedals, only just moving forward

* which produce to buy at the farmer's market in Union square - ramps, apples (mutzos are good), fresh cider and a healthy carrot and date bread/cake thing which I liked